Karon

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A language of Senegal

ISO 639-3
krx
Alternate Names
Jola-Karone, Kaloon, Karone, Karoninka, Kouloonaay
Population

9,000 in Senegal (2007), increasing. A few hundred elderly monolinguals. Population total all countries: 15,000.

Location

Southwest coast, north from Bliss Island, Kalisseye Inlet to Casamance river, to The Gambia border; east to Dioloulou, Kafountine area extends north as far as Brikama (The Gambia); Karon islands. Also in Gambia.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Bak, Jola, Jola Proper, Karon-Mlomp
Dialects

Lexical similarity: 64% with Mlomp [mlo], the most similar (Jola) language.

Language Use

Home, market. All ages. Positive attitudes. Many also use Jola-Fonyi [dyo], Mandinka [mnk], or Wolof [wol]. Most men under 50 years of age and women under 35 years of age use some French [fra].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Karon
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Ethnic autonym: Kaloon. Strong desire to develop the language and preserve the culture.

Also spoken in:

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